The power of stereotypes to maintain (or even encourage!) racial AMBIVALENCE lies in their pervasive presence across multiple media outlets. A few instances will not maintain AMBIVALENCE, yet a daily bombardment, despite contrary personal experience, will. This means that a Caucasian person may view her non-violent, non-poor African-American friend as an exception rather than a rule. The rule is, of course, outlined by education and media outlets, such as network news stations broadcasting nightly images of violent African-Americans or poverty-stricken Africans. As with any rule, this definition of "Blackness" is constructed and learned, and while stereotypes often arise from fact, they do not tell the "whole" truth. What is left out of the picture is just as important as what lies inside its frame.
There are numerous instances of mediabites defining a people or a place for decades to come. Ethiopia in the 1980's is a great example. Images such as those presented by Save the Children (Sally Struthers) leave lasting definitions - as if a pathway burned in the brain, many continue to define the "African" as a "skinny, starving kid with diarrhea and flies swarming around her head" Today, we add high HIV statistics and genocide to the impoverished images we ingested in the 80's, leaving us with even bleeker definitions of Africa. As media creators, we now must ask ourselves, how many positive or contrary images will it take to re-define the "Blackness" constructed by these repetitive and extreme stereotypes of poverty and violence?
FOR NEXT WEEK...
READING: Chapters 7 and 8 -
"Affirming Discord" and "Black Power"
PROJECT: LAP worksheet, proposal and annotated bibliography
MEDIA: Please view the following media examples for next class.
Darfur
The One Campaign
Save Africa's Children
Save Africa from Aids
Save the Children International
The Secret to Really Helping Africa
- JOURNAL FIVE - Compare and contrast two of the images presented in the above media clips. What definition of "Blackness" do they offer? Do the different humanitarian organizations construct a single notion of "Blackness"? Or, do they support racial AMBIVALENCE or even ANIMOSITY? How? Do humanitarian campaigns have the right to raise funds and awareness by any means necessary? Or do they have a responsibility to create coherent, consistent images of those they hope to help?
27 comments:
Ever since I was a little girl, I remember the save the children commercials. The commercials were so long I remember thinking that they were television shows. I did not believe that there were black people who lived like that. To see that at least thirteen years have gone by and they are still in the same circumstances puzzles me. I know my parents have adopted a few children not only from Africa, but from a few other places. Save The Children International has a mission. Their mission is to fight for children's rights. They also claim to deliver immediate and lasting improvements to childrens lives worldwide. The Darfur clip shows Africas dying, poor, starving, destroying their own communities, and killing other Africans. Yes, the humanitarian organizations definitely construct a single notion of "blackness." I believe that they do have a responsibility to create coherent, consistent images of those they hope to help. I remember seeing one little girl who was born HIV positive and her mother had died from the disease, smiling. Everyone else looked miserable, carried guns, or was laying on the ground dead! I really hope that I will live to see African Americans portrayed in a more positive manner, the buck needs to stop already. -Sinclair
Comparing the media clips, the spokesperson(s) did not have to use the word Black when speaking of Africa. We already know that Africa consists mainly of Blacks.
The organizations all focus on the same thing-donate your money to help eliminate poverty, AIDS and educate the children. This type of support they ask for has caused animosity as well as ambivalence towards its viewers. Those who give; do it because they want to feel that they are doing it for the right cause and those who do not; feel unjust to give to a foreign country when the U.S. has its own problems of AIDS and homelessness.
My concerns regarding these org. approaches for donations to foreign war-torned countries are 1) Why must they use deprived children as their selling point? 2) Where are these children when they reach 20+ (with our support)? Did they achieve anything? Did they go into politics to help overcome their country's problems? or, is this just a cycle of asking others for money year after year and nothing is being done to resolve these matters?
Bessie
As I watched the media clip of "Darfur" my eyes swelled up with tears, my heart felt heavy, and my soul collapsed with pain. The genocide and ethnic cleansing of millions of families showed me a lasting impression imbedded in my mind. It's important for organizations to perserve Human life and to make us aware that in "America" struggles in "Darfur" there's suffering.
The second media clip I watched "Save Africa from Aids." Africa has been moreso than ever hit the hardest since the AIDS epidemic in the 80's. Africans are still in need of treatment, medicine, and financial support. Human rights has been violated and Humanitiarian Law should be more stronger to stop "Global Genocide" and "Ethnic Cleansing."
Althea
The Darfur clip made me feel deeply sad, it broke my heart seeing people in such poverty condition of living. It is sad that today still exist the cruelty for the African people. With the advance of technology they should be help immidiately because they do not deserve to be starving or dying as human beings. the goverment should stop being corracted and concern more about his people. The clip of the Secret to really heping Africa by Angelina Jolie shows that it is possible to help the African. There should be more sponsor to help the children. I believe the humanitariam organization build a better world for children. With all dedication the Africans families will have food, school, and many other aids.
Martha Fuentes
there was a time when the actree sallt strothers use to do a commercial save our children. the commercial would show starving african american children, as though they had nothing to eat in days.and suffering from mal-nutrition. i never heard her say that she was a contributer for these children.yes i do believet that wwe should fight for our children, but don't look for a hand out if your nt trying to help yourself.is this money really going towards helping these children or is it going in someone's pocket.
My opinion of the Save the Children International site and the Bishop Asili in Uganda, East Africa site (www.JustLikemychild.com) is as any human with a heart would have. It hurts for me to see people suffering, especially innocent children and babies. It doesn’t matter who they are or what color they are or what color their sponsors are.
I do not think the representation is derogatory, especially, since the truths of the conditions in Africa were shown and they are not a fabrication nor an exploitation of a people. There is a geniune need for help.
Any person on the planet that lends a hand to the aide of others is an angel of mercy.
Note the scripture on the site.
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25:40 - TL
These clips bring sadness to my heart, to see the lives in African being wasted away with disease and genocide. The organizations, and celebrities like Oprah, Bono Brad, and Angelina who are involved bring awareness to this problem, through the media.
Watching Oprah show last night, on her leadership academy, in South Africa I was move to tears, by these young girls who are hungry for a good education, which is something taken for granted in America MARIA
THEY DON'T REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE FROM AFRICA. I FOUND THEM VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND DEGRADING. I HAVEN'T WATCH ANY OF THEM IN SUCH A LONG TIME. I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHEN I STOPPED WATCHING THEM. SA
I have watched those Save The Children commercials for as far back as I can remember and have always felt so depressed just watching the children suffer like that. I didn't even think people could actually live that wasy especially children. I always thought with all this money in the world today how is it possible for people to live that way. The Darfur clip was just as depressing. The only difference is the Africans are destroying their own communities and killing each other. But other wise in both clips the Africans are dying, poor and starving. I do think the humanitarian organizations does have a right to campaign and rise the awareness of what is really going on in Africa to try to get as much help as possible from around the world.
I reviewed the Darfur clip and it brought tears to my eyes. I use to see these commercials al the time and I would always want to help these children, but there was always a doubt in my mind that they never recieve the funds that are contributed. its so sad that the president can spend all this money on unecessary wars when there are children out there starving that would be glad to have all the money thats wasted. it just saddens me to see this.
Darfur clips brought tears to my eyes to see how the children are suffering from starvation, lack of medical attention and death. I did not watch the whole clips because I have a weak stomach.
Linda
Save Africa has been for years since I could remember. When I opened up save the Africa childern website it makes what to help them because you see famous black poeple up their saying to help but than youn go to Save Africa from Aids you are like whit people can not tell me to help my own people. It turns you of that another race is telling you want to do. A whit men holding a child not it should have been a black person holding that child.
melissa
Save the children have been around since I was a child, Seeing Sally Struthers as a spokeswoman gave you a sense of trust. Ms Struthers (Gloria), known to many as the feisty daughter of Archie Brunker. On the show she along with her husband would always stand up for Human Rights (e.g., wars, civil rights, and etc.).
As a child I believed that everyone in Africa was poor and starving, My grandmother would always give to these organization, not knowing who she was helping or if the dying children really were getting the money. I remember 10 years ago 60 minutes or Dateline had a show that asked the ambivalence question concerning your money and these Organizations that focuses only on the starving and dying children.
Sonja
save the children has ben around for years and we still have many families suffering round the world today. we still have many people right her in the United States that is suffering from hunger, homelessness, Aids and many other uncurable diseases and not getting the assistance from all the programs that ask for finances to help. The money is being wasted on wars and unnecessary things, this doesn't help our families who are in need.
Michelle J
The "Save Africa's Children and "Save the Children international is a depiction of the struggle that Africans are facing because of the aids epidemic. The world is closing their eyes, as parents and loved ones are dying and children are left to defend for themselves. The epidemic as spread out of control. Showing these helpless children on tv ad is very disturbing to me it's abuse and the humanitarians are using the media and these images to promote their organizations. People shouldn't have to donate $1 for the children of Africa to rewrite the fuure. The President of the USA and world leaders need to intervene and step in and exercise their power and to rewrite the future for the children and people of Africa. Humanitarian shouldn't expose these disturbing images of children. These children are being exploited.
Carol J.
I watched, save the children every sunday. And I wonder why there is not enough food, for these children, in the United States. Our land is full of milk and honey. There should not be any lack for nothing especially for children. I don't why our children have to suffer like this. I know that people, are sending in donations. But blacks as well as white children, are feeling this devastation. What does it have to take for changes to take place? Sometimes, that bother me.
I forgot to put my name, for save the children. My comment is the one about watching save the children, every sunday. Wanda G.
I found these clips to be very sad and heart breaking. I could not watch them all but what i did see was enough to make me thankful for what I have and where I am. These clips also show me that how these Africans are still suffering and living in poverty. I wish there was something more that we who are fortunate to not live like them can do more for them. There must me something more that the Government can assist them with.
Cathy
For as long as I can remember these sponsors have been asking for money to save our children and I would like to know if any progress has been made. They never get on television to show what the money has helped them to do. Watching the children in the save the children clips makes me sad because I am a mother and children are a miracle, they do not deserve to live like that. I find it hard to believe anybody when it comes down to donating money because there are so many scams out it today. SE
These clips are not respresenting anything that can have positive influence on african culture. Some of these videos are disturbing. This prediction that african are starving continuously is obsurd. When Africa is a fruiful country. Grant it some countries are poor but the media displays african culture as "Weak" and a Diseased Striken place that needs the help of everyone to survive. This needs to stop. Because we have people here in this country thats starving and homeless and no one does anything where not broadcasting that...
Sadden
K.Knight
I can remember watching the "Save the Children" program on sunday mornings before there was cable and it is sad to see nothing has changed. Viewing these media clips just send chills down my spine. I think its ashame the way they portray Africa and these poor children in order to raise money for the cause.
If one didn't know better you would think this is the lifestyle of Africa. I am concern about the money, I have yet to hear where the money went or should I say how has it help the children portrayed in the commercials. I am all for helping people in need but alot of times we are quick to help other countries and ours fall by the waste side. It will be nice to see them focus on the poor and homeless in our country.
-Benita
I'm sure I did this one before but here it is again. the "Darfur" ciips are very disturbing to me I don't understand what is going on in Africa. The people have gone through so much hardshi. the water is not claen, the soil is not rich enough to grow food and many of the people in Africa are suffering with Aids. People who live in Africa are very strong people thaey just keep on trying to survive. Ttribble
From what i saw in the clips (Because i couldn't hear) They are all trying to do the same thing and that is Help the poor, straving, needy people and children of those countries. They are also trying to stop them from killing each other. Whit all the money you hear that Arican gets on the news you think that the conditions these people live would be better. I knwo for a fact that the singer Bono alone has rasied over millions of dollors for Africa, no t mention other countries, lets not talk about Save the children with sally struthers i have been seeing on tv since i was a kid. I thirty now. I feel that if we are going to use media to raise the money then we should be abel to use media to make sure it goes to where it is supposed too.
Octavia
Later Days :)
The children in the picture presented on the blog page I admire. Poor is a word that should be used to define people with a lack of knowledge and love. Those children come from the mother land and appreciate life and land for what it is...free and beautiful, they are very rich with substance. You cannot take that away from them. You can try, but it is my faith that they will never believe in what "society" says is important. As long as their natural resources stay in tact, they would prefer that over a masion any day. They are rich in the mind and content so how could they ever be poor?
Shaniqua
I always see those save the children commericals on cable and i always thought they were exploting children. I know they have a mission and that is to help needy children in Africa but to what extent will they go to degrade these poor children to get sponsers.
Karen T.
Organizations focuses on one thing, send money. They don't care who or what they have to exploit as long as you send money they will make things seem worse than they really are, I saw a documenary once that shows warehouses full of food and clothing in an African country and the leaders refused to give out the food and other things to the poor, so the food was left to rot or was taken by the guards to their families, which is why I am reluctant to send money. I don't know where its going
Jeannie
Really nice and impressive blog i found today.
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